Mathematics
Together, as one, we support each other to flourish and succeed
Intent
At South Crosland Junior School, we have a vision for every child to become an enthusiastic, resilient and skilled mathematician for life. Our policies, resources and teaching support our children in acquiring the necessary skills to succeed in their journey towards becoming fluent mathematicians, who can reason and use logic to solve a range of mathematical problems and puzzles in different contexts.
Across school at this time, we are continuing to develop a Mastery Approach towards the teaching and learning of Mathematics. This approach provides a wealth of opportunities for our children to explore Mathematics in an active way, using concrete resources and visual representations of key mathematical concepts. We believe that this visual and active way of exploring Mathematics is fundamental in ensuring that all children can access and enjoy Mathematics and progress further into developing a deep and sustained conceptual understanding of this exciting and important subject.
Our Curriculum Planning within each year group, has been carefully and strategically organised to ensure that there is progression in the National Curriculum Objectives. Key concepts from previous year group objectives are recapped and consolidated, and children are given an opportunity to explore the rich connections across the mathematical ideas that they are learning.
Implementation
Here at South Crosland Junior School, our Mathematics curriculum is undergoing an exciting transformation, as we develop a Mastery Approach towards the teaching and learning of Mathematics.
Currently, in all year groups, children are following The White Rose Maths Schemes of Learning, which have been adapted to work appropriately for our school setting. As part of the White Rose Maths Schemes, learning objectives are broken down into a series of small connected steps, with each step building on the children’s prior learning. Each lesson focuses on one small step or a series of small steps, depending on the speed at which children progress through the objective taught.
As part of this Mastery Approach to Mathematics, our teachers across all year groups deliver the majority of lessons using a whole class teaching approach. They consistently model the correct use of rich, technical mathematical vocabulary and provide a range of visual and sometimes concrete representations to support children in their learning of Mathematics. Opportunities for reasoning and problem solving, as well as fluency activities are consistently planned into every lesson, so that children can progress quickly between these skills.
Our teachers use skilful questioning to support children in their thinking skills and in their ability to make connections and identify and explain patterns. Key questions are also regularly planned into lessons in order to unpick children’s understanding and to identify and overcome any mathematical misconceptions that they may have.
Our Mastery Approach to Mathematics teaching is inclusive through: a range of resources and representations; targeted support; scaffolding; and well-planned interventions. We believe that developing Mathematical Mastery across school will support every child to succeed in this subject.
As we are currently still in the early stages of our Mathematics Mastery ‘journey’, teachers and other staff are continuing to be supported in developing mastery teaching skills through CPD and Staff Meeting discussions. Our teachers are actively encouraged to peer support and observe teaching and learning across school to develop confidence and consistency with this new approach.
Impact
The effective provision and delivery of an engaging and challenging Mastery Maths curriculum at our school should ensure that every single South Crosland child will leave school at the end of Key Stage 2 with a confident and resilient approach to Mathematics. Above all, we strive to ensure that our children are given daily opportunities, through high quality Mathematics planning, questioning and teaching, in which to develop a deep and secure understanding of the subject that will last a lifetime.
The impact of our curriculum delivery in Mathematics on outcomes is measured through regular formative teacher assessment and also through summative mid-year and end of year Assessments (NFER). Progress in Mathematical skills is consistently monitored by teachers, and any area of weakness or difficulty is quickly identified and acted upon through swift intervention.
Progress and attainment are monitored at key points throughout the year by the Maths Subject Leader and the Assessment Leader, who meet with year group teachers on a termly basis in order to discuss progress scores and identify any areas of success or concern.
Here at South Crosland Junior School, our SATs results in Mathematics are consistently high, with a larger than average percentage of our pupils achieving Greater Depth Standard, compared to National Standards. At South Crosland, we are proud of these excellent results, but continually strive to improve upon this.
Assessment and Reporting
Formative assessment in Mathematics is ongoing and takes many forms. Within each year group, teachers consistently and continually assess children’s knowledge through effective and skilled questioning and daily monitoring and marking of books. Additionally, each teacher utilises a range of different assessment opportunities for their individual context, such as: regular times table tests, weekly arithmetic and some use of end of block assessments. These assessments identify any gaps in learning as and when they occur, so that teachers are well informed to act upon and address them in a timely manner.
The summative assessment schedule for each year group is outlined below:
- Upon entering Year 3, all children are baseline tested for Mathematics to give a clear picture of individual children’s starting point with regards to the Key Stage 1 S.A.Ts Mathematics objectives.
- At the end of Year 4, all children working within the National Curriculum expectations will take part in the Multiplication Tables Check in order to assess fluency and quick recall of the times tables, up to 12 x 12.
- At the end of Year 6, all children sit their end of KS2 S.A.Ts.
- Within each year group, all children sit the N.F.E.R. Mathematics tests in February (Mid-Year Assessment) and in May/June (End of Year Assessment).
Assessment information is kept by each teacher, the school the Assessment Co-ordinator and the Mathematics Co-ordinator.
The standardised results that are generated from these tests provide an accurate and detailed picture of each child’s progress in Mathematics from the beginning of their time at South Crosland Junior School right up to the end of Key Stage 2. Mathematics data for each year group is discussed as part of regular Pupil Progress Meetings and informs whole school data, which is monitored to identify patterns and issues. This whole school data is discussed with the SLT and informs any decisions on interventions and catch up one-to-one programmes as well as the School Development Plan, as appropriate.
Achievement and attitude to learning are reported to Parents and Carers three times each year, as part of the School Reporting Calendar (December, March and July).